


something about you makes the gray turn beautiful

by fadinglove



Series: no expiration date for the things we swallow [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Press and Tabloids, Quote Challenge, Teacher Tony Stark, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-11 21:29:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7071094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadinglove/pseuds/fadinglove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>"The best type of people are the ones that come into your life, and make you see the sun where you once saw clouds. The people that believe in you so much, you start to believe in yourself too. The people that love you, simply for being you. The once in a lifetime kind of people."</em><br/>— Unknown</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. raining and pouring but no one is soaring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be angst, but, oh well. The rest of the series will probably be. (But with happy endings.) (Mostly.)

Tony hates teaching.

It's true, and obviously what everyone expects of him anyway: a playboy who likes drinking and spending several nights in succession at a time inside sex clubs would most definitely despise children. Children of all kind, in fact. From preschoolers to college hunks with unkempt beards and six- no, wait, eight packs. Whether this pertains to abs or beer haul preference, Tony doesn't care. And he _certainly_ doesn't care, he tells himself, as he reads all of this information highlighted in a new issue of People magazine.

In fact, he thinks decidedly, it's true. He hates teaching. He has to. There's nothing at all to like about trying to cram excerpts of his magnificent brainpower into sex-driven, popularity hungry, naïve teens day after day, only to have them all flunk whatever easy ass tests he throws out. At least, that's what he thinks it's like anyway, and it's probably true.

Steve shuffles in through the door behind him, and catches sight of Tony's sour expression and the article gripped tightly between his fingers. Immediately, he says, "Don't read those, Tony. They're not true. You know how the media can be."

"But it is true in this case," he barks, whirling around. "I do hate teaching."

The blonde opens his mouth, maybe to disagree, agree, whatever, but closes it on second thought. Good option, Tony thinks, as he sets the papers down on his coffee table to exit the room in a contemplative huff. He always convinces himself the press doesn't really get to him, but situations like this always beg to differ, and the entire team knows it. Hell, the entire world probably knows it.

"Don't listen to them," Steve repeats lamely. Tony fails to catch the other man bending down to read the article, titled "Tony Stark's Biggest Dislikes Revealed," raising an eyebrow in bewilderment.

* * *

At night, it's still bothering Tony, but he can push it to the back of his mind in order to focus on the piece of damn heaven lying next to him. The blond is slinging a possessive arm around his waist, trapping him to the bed. Not that he minds or anything.

"God, I want a drink," Tony sighs, looking out over the familiar black ocean of city lights that is New York. The Big Apple is both of their homes, he knows.

Steve sits up now, alarmed. "You're not- You can't have a drink. You've been sober for so long."

"I know I'm sober. I'll always be sober," he flips back over to face those blue eyes. "I'll just always want a drink."

There's a pause, before Steve whispers, " _Then I'll make you forget,"_ and begins kissing up Tony's chest so that the billionaire's eyes go hazy from want. They grab frantically at each other, a mess of entwining limbs and colliding mouths, Steve's back dipping down to feel all of Tony.

He does make Tony forget. Although Tony will admit that over his cold, dead body.


	2. sunny skies, stolen cries

"Clear your schedule," Steve says before gently sliding over every one of Tony's trinkets to the left of his desk with a single arm. Tony drops a screwdriver, exclaiming in protest, but can't hide the curiousity as to why Steve is being so demanding.

"Why?" Grinning lazily, Tony sidles up to him on the desk, clutching Steve's sad button-down in tight grips. "Am I gonna be doing something more... productive?"

"You're teaching at Harvard today," Steve replies simply, and Tony immediately drops the fabric.

Tony almost smiles and thanks him before remembering who he is and where he is. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." It's not everyday Captain America sounds so bossy and firm (out of uniform.) "You're filling in for a professor taking a sick day at Harvard University. So clear your schedule. You should be honored."

"You know, it's only thanks to me you have so many connections now-"

Steve kisses him, effectively shutting him up. It's reluctant at first, but ends up long and melting and mouth-tingling. He can feel the familiar graze of stubble against his face, soft lips that seem to mold into his touch.

Tony pulls away first ("That was a bribe!") to dial Pepper, and she picks up on the fifth ring. "Pep, do I have anything important today?"

"Is that even a question?" Her irritated tone resounds through the speaker. "Three FDA meetings, because of that GMO breakthrough stunt you pulled off with Bruce without permission last week, legal paperwork to the new suit prototype you're making, another-"

"But do I have anything actually important? Like, _important_ important?" A sigh on the other end.

Tony's almost grateful when Steve takes the phone from him to clean up this mess of a request. "Miss Potts, it's Steve Rogers. I'm sorry for this, ma'am, but Tony isn't doing well because of something the press said about him, so I'm going to prove them wrong."

Her tone softens immediately. "Was it the thing about him teaching? I saw that, too."

"Yes, actually. I booked a job for him today. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience, I'll-"

"It's perfectly fine, Steve, just watch out for him there."

"Of course, ma'am.

"Call me Pepper, too."

"Yes, ma- Pepper. Thank you."

She tells him before hanging up, and it sends a jolt of happiness running through Steve. He considers Pepper Potts in high regard, one of the best women he's ever met along with Peggy- intelligent, hardworking, diligent, and tolerable of the difficulty that is Tony Stark. He won't disappoint her today, or any day, if he can see it fit.

"You're such a damn _gentleman_ ," Tony complains, muttering something about unfairness, as if it's unfathomable, as they make their way outside.

* * *

As soon as they arrive in the classroom, most of the students are already there and seated, lounging about or chatting with friends. Steve and Tony are late due to a distraction that in no way involves having sex in the back of a private limo on the way there. Steve has cleaned up nicely, looking pristine and perfect like the Ken Doll he is, while Tony hasn't even bothered fixing his rumpled hair or swollen lips.

The entire room quiets before exploding in excited banter. A brunette in the front row screams, "They're even hotter in real life!" and begins crying hysterically. Someone curses and holds up a camcorder before Tony clears his throat and announces, "Everyone shut up."

They listen.

"I'm Tony Stark- ("We know who you are!") -and I'm subbing for your class today."

More noise. He continues, glaring at the beady eye of the camcorder, "No photos until class ends. Or videos. Selfies are reserved for the aftermath."

"I'll see you later," Steve says softly as Tony turns around to him. He's grinning in triumph. "You'll do great."

"I know I will," he responds, grinning back (with a cheesiness that matches Steve's smile), even though there's something like dread weighing down the pit of his stomach. What if they don't like him? But as Captain America leaves the room, he waves the doubts off. Of course they'll like him.

He's Tony Stark. 

"What am I supposed to be teaching you? What class is this?" 

There's a chorus of bullshit answers, ranging from sex-ed to nude art. Raising an eyebrow, Tony shuffles through the various papers and textbooks on the professor's desk, but they're all either blank, irrelevant, or random subjects. He's here to teach, but he doesn't know what to teach. Sticking with the lesson plan, or any plan in general, has never really been his forté.

Then a masculine voice from somewhere in the audience asks, "Mr. Stark, tell us about your new Iron Man prototype! The one you're working on!" 

And he's off.

To Tony, and most likely the students, class time passes in very, very quick succession. He's rambling on about the suit- how he's designed a new lightweight fabric material inside of it cut from an element he discovered years ago, the velocity increase due to new thruster banding he's sure no one has ever seen before, microscopic fiber plates crawling atop the exterior plate that'll guard against earth-bound viruses. 

But he seems to explain things in such a simple, fascinating way that people can't help but stop and listen. Throw in a dash of his old sarcasm, and throughout the day, Tony Stark is Harvard's favored instructor and America's sweetheart (as tabloids have reinforced once again.) 

And honestly, it makes him happy, watching students' questions answered, doubts explained, and opening up whole new doors in their minds that only had a sliver of light peeking through, ajar, before. Tony may not be the best with kids, but he appeals to these young adults' restrained sense of curiousity, excitement, extraordinary recollection of lost questioning. It should be boring, the stuff he's explaining, but it's... not. Just somehow not.

At the end, Tony sits on a fun rolly chair behind his desk, nearly breathless. He obliges to the clamoring requests for selfies and masterpieced photos, quite happily. 

The brunnette from before pokes him, as if she's not sure he's real, and then snaps a photo with him. That's the exact moment Steve enters from his left, as the room gradually clears out, looking awed but elated. From the expression, Tony wonders if Steve's receieved a Nobel Peace Prize or something in his absence. Painted in red, white, and blue.

"That was amazing," Steve exclaims, almost laughing, and kisses him hard on the mouth. 

"I know," Tony murmurs against his lips, "I'm well-known to be extremely photogenic." Although he has a sneaking suspicion...

"Not that."

"Then...?"

"Your teaching. I... it was so cute, Tony, the way you just light up when you explain these things to the students."

"Hmm. Always thought you just tolerated that side of me. You know, the part that always goes on and on and on-"

"I love it. I love you," Steve interrupts, and kisses him again. "I was here the whole time, Tony."

"You," Tony points, "are a lying liar who lies. Deception. Mistrust. Are you even Steve Rogers?"

"I was the one that asked about your suit prototype," he smiles, out of triumph (like the fox he is). "Best part is, you get to do this all week. You're a fantastic teacher, Tony. People magazine is wrong."

"I love you," Tony kisses him on the neck and wraps his arms around Steve, looping underneath to grab at his back. "God, you're... I love you."

"If this is all it took for you to get sentimental."

"I'm serious, Steve. I really did hate the idea of teaching. Dad always told me it was a waste of time, but you..." Tony grips tighter, and suddenly Steve gets that this was way more than the press. It's personal and important and he knows, then, that he would move mountains to get Tony to understand his own brilliance. 

"Howard didn't understand," Steve replies carefully, "But I want to. I really- God, I love you, and I'm sorry for making this so serious but I really do. I want you to be happy. I want us to be happy."

"Me too," he whispers. They're kissing, then, with the want and need of something never felt before. Tony curls one hand in Steve's blond locks, gasping against his lips, before moving down to his neck, shamelessly.

"We are not doing this-" Steve's breath hitches as Tony hits a particularly sensitive spot "-in a classroom."

"Limo it is then," Tony purrs. 

Steve nearly groans, but they both know they wouldn't mind being anywhere in the world. As long as it was with each other. 


End file.
